was anyone here now, on at the Y2K scare?
sr
much with little to do with,
made for an interesting group.
Wish I had the money I spent on mobil solar panels, crank up radios, etc.
That I really never
figured out. Than again, if cap and trade goes through, ---- guess I'll
hang on to the stuff
a little longer, now that I think about it.
Al
I'm sure many here were here back then. It seems like yesterday.
Frugal tips are always welcome here. If you had trouble figuring out a
crank up radio, you are not made for survival.
The crank up flashlights I see from China use a NiCad battery that is
charged with the cranking. NiCads have a limited lifespan so the light
won't work when it expires. Lately, the Chinese are using high density
capacitors to hold a charge and they should last almost forever. With
just a 30' charge, they can power a small model plane for a decent
flight. Maybe we need a new crisis to highlight some of these simple
technologies.
The Real Bev
> On Oct 17, 3:54 pm, "sr" <solo...@uninets.net> wrote:
>
>> There seems to be so many survival suggestions, and techniques, how to do
>> much with little to do with, made for an interesting group. Wish I had the
>> money I spent on mobil solar panels, crank up radios, etc. That I really
>> never figured out. Than again, if cap and trade goes through, ---- guess
>> I'll hang on to the stuff a little longer, now that I think about it.
>
> I'm sure many here were here back then. It seems like yesterday. Frugal tips
> are always welcome here. If you had trouble figuring out a crank up radio,
> you are not made for survival. The crank up flashlights I see from China use
> a NiCad battery that is charged with the cranking.
The 4 smallish ones that we bought from Costco are all dead. One produces
light only while cranking, not all that practical a solution. I remember
reading somewhere that you could take them apart and replace the capacitor with
a bigger/better one, but that was several years ago.
OTOH, the big 4-year-old Sharper Image pistol-grip rechargeable flashlight
which gets only occasional use has needed to be recharged (AC, they warn to NOT
use the crank unless it's a real emergency) only once a year or so. A pleasant
surprise.
> NiCads have a limited lifespan so the light won't work when it expires.
> Lately, the Chinese are using high density capacitors to hold a charge and
> they should last almost forever. With just a 30' charge, they can power a
> small model plane for a decent flight. Maybe we need a new crisis to
> highlight some of these simple technologies.
Unlikely that a new crisis would help. Katrina presented an interesting new
crisis which seemed to generate more whining and dependency than simple and
practical solutions.
--
Cheers, Bev
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I bought a tape called "Subliminal Advertising"
The next day I bought 47 more.
sr
working when new,
not now, after 10 years. Never did hitch up the solar panel, battery still
in the box. Means
another trip to the recycling ctr. My Ace in the Hole was my neighbor, on
the hill,. that
has a mechanical brain. Since I can make a good loaf of bread for his
comsumption, I
believe I was all set. There's more than one way to survive.
When you live in Maine, it's all about survival, no choice.
I had a better chance of survival than those living in cubicals.
I was sucker enough to buy the flashlights that took a shaking to light them
up.
But, only after the price came down from 19. to 5 at the liquidation ct.
"Al" <albu...@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:ff7bdee8-03d2-4b85...@k17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
sr
"Al" <albu...@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:ff7bdee8-03d2-4b85...@k17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
>
along if
there were a better solution to the storage. Once the storage problem is
solved-
hope
I live long enough for the experience.
I see there is even a solar refection (paint)
If you are interested in solar, there is a fellow that has to move to Wales
to set up
his manufacturing plant for his solar product. Too many regualtions in U.S.
Seem that the other countries are so far ahead of us in that respect. Sad.
Regulation s kill the innovative part of the human spirit.
But, I've been through this before with the Jimmy Carter ADM. Nothing
became of it
when oil got plentiful once again to us peons. Things go in cycle, if you
live long enough
you'll see history repeating itself, but to the young, its the first time,
to us old people, we
say "here we go again"
===============
sr
solar, eventually)
March 8, 2007 10:52 AM
http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/16/smallbusiness/wales_solar_power.fsb/index.htm
Green" entrepreneur Robert Hertzberg is making solar panels in an unlikely
spot: Wales. He tells Sheila MacVicar the panels can work despite the
clouds, and says Europeans are open to the technology Most of his rivals
produce silicon solar panels for the first world. Hertzberg is building
silicon-free solar strips, and says his earliest customers are in the
developing world, especially Africa and India. Most solar companies seek
government handouts; Hertzberg avoids them like the plague. And while few
solar firms would think of bringing their product to a cloudy climate,
Hertzberg set up his headquarters in Wales - in part to prove that G24i's
technology can work anywhere.
When the hot water tank quite, I did a little solar tech. myself. caught
rain water in barrel on South side, it was hot enough in the afternoon to
use as warm water.
"Al" <albu...@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:ff7bdee8-03d2-4b85...@k17g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
Gary Heston
sr <sol...@uninets.net> wrote:
>There seems to be so many survival suggestions, and techniques, how to do
>much with little to do with,
>made for an interesting group.
I've been on Usenet since about 1989.
>Wish I had the money I spent on mobil solar panels, crank up radios, etc.
>That I really never
>figured out. Than again, if cap and trade goes through, ---- guess I'll
>hang on to the stuff
>a little longer, now that I think about it.
You should be able to find plenty of information about how to set up and
use any of it. Research and practice now, and archive printed copies in
the event that you lose internet access and can't refer back to online
resources.
While you're at it, look up information how to properly store emergency
and survival material. Some, like food and batteries, needs to be rotated
periodically.
Gary
--
Gary Heston ghe...@hiwaay.net http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
"Where large, expensive pieces of exotic woods are converted to valueless,
hard to dispose of sawdust, chips and scraps." Charlie B.s' definition of
woodworking.
sr
news:hbdg2h$bp8$1...@news.eternal-september.org...>Al said
Maybe we need a new crisis to
>> highlight some of these simple technologies.
>
> Unlikely that a new crisis would help. Katrina presented an interesting
> new
> crisis which seemed to generate more whining and dependency than simple
> and
> practical solutions.
>
> --
> Cheers, Bev
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> I bought a tape called "Subliminal Advertising"
> The next day I bought 47 more.
Good Quip:
love your tags, felt good to have a laugh today, thanks Bev
sr
Not knowing much about computers.Back than,
and not anymore today,
I did put all that
information on frugal living and survival tips ,on the computer ,I lost
all of it, along with my income tax returns, stocks, all gone
So, when the Big Bang didn't happen, what did you think?
"Gary Heston" <ghe...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:U76dnQhlG_9G5kfX...@posted.hiwaay2...
The Real Bev
> "The Real Bev" <bashl...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Al said
>
>>> Maybe we need a new crisis to
>>> highlight some of these simple technologies.
>>
>> Unlikely that a new crisis would help. Katrina presented an interesting
>> new crisis which seemed to generate more whining and dependency than
>> simple and practical solutions.
>>
>> I bought a tape called "Subliminal Advertising"
>> The next day I bought 47 more.
> Good Quip: love your tags, felt good to have a laugh today, thanks Bev
I wish I had made ALL of them up, not just some of them. That one I stole.
--
Cheers, Bev
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
You know how dumb the average person is?
Well, by definition, half are *even dumber*!
JRWeiss
> So, when the Big Bang didn't happen, what did you think?
The people hired to sto it from happening did their jobs!
Michael Black
Frugality isn't about chasing trends, that's your problem. The only way
trends help frugality is if it makes something you want cheaper, or the
secondary event, they become available at garage sales (also cheap).
Frugality is about making informed choices, balancing things. So if
people got hoodwinked by a fear of some disaster happening and rushed
out and bought, they sure weren't frugal. Other people who looked into
the matter, maybe picking and choosing, came out ahead.
There is lot of frugality in stocking up. Not in outrageous amounts of
things you'll never eat, but in buying ahead when things are on sale. If
I know I'm going to eat canned corn, it is far better to buy when it's on
sale, and buy a number of cans to take me through to the next sale. If I
have the money, I save money by buying on sale, and I do have it in
case of emergency. An emergency is likely going to be a much simpler
thing, like being sick for a week and unable to get out shopping, so if
you have nothing in stock, you'll starve.
Someone who rushes out to buy a crank radio because everyone else is doing
it in fear of a Big Disaster is likely to be disatisfied with their
purchase, since they did it for a specific event and didn't use it. The
frugal person would look at things over a period of time, see the prices
drop or at least notice when they might be on sale, and decide it's worth
having just in case, when the price is right. They might feel a need for
a radio for every day use, and realize a crank radio would lessen the cost
of buying batteries (and they'd think about whether spending the money on
the crank radio is going to offset the cost of the batteries they might
use up). Or they might wait, until they can find a crank radio at a
garage sale (everyone else having bought them for some percieved Event
and then not wanting the "clutter" afterwards). Or they'd find it lying
in a pile of garbage waiting for the garbage trucks. Or they'd get one
when they bought something else that they wanted, and the store tossed
in a free crank radio.
I did find my crank radio in the garbage last summer, and when I bought
a shortwave radio a few weeks ago, at half price, the deal was sweatened
by a crank radio that otherwise cost an outrageous $60, which I gave
away. I still can't decide whether I got a $200 shortwave radio for
$40, or got it for a hundred with a free crank radio, or somewhere in
between.
The frugal person wouldn't be swayed by the "Emergency Event" but might
use it to consider how well prepared they are for emergencies in general.
And since they want to deal with the long term rather than some mass
event, they can just as easily wait till the Big Event is over, then buy
at a marked down price, getting prepared without the cost.
Michael
sr
you must be a joy to live with
"Michael Black" <et...@ncf.ca> wrote in message
news:Pine.LNX.4.64.09...@darkstar.example.net...
Gary Heston
sr <sol...@uninets.net> wrote:
>Good suggestion.
> Not knowing much about computers.Back than,
>and not anymore today,
> I did put all that
>information on frugal living and survival tips ,on the computer ,I lost
>all of it, along with my income tax returns, stocks, all gone
There is this concept called "backups" which I highly recommend. In fact,
I found it appalling that Microsoft consumer operating systems didn't
incorporate a backup program prior to Windows XP (other than "copy").
Now, with low-cost flash and external USB drives or DVD writers, there's
no reason to not be making backups. Remember to store them offsite, too.
If you had a hard drive crash, data can frequently be recovered--but the
cost is pretty high.
>So, when the Big Bang didn't happen, what did you think?
[ ... ]
That all the doomsday soothsayers were wrong, as usual, particularly
since most of them knew next to nothing about IT. I've been working in
IT since the mid '80s and didn't stockpile anything or buy a generator.
The network I was supporting had no problems, and I don't personally
know anyone who did have any.
Now, someone is claiming that an ancient Aztec calendar says the world will
end in 2012; more nonsense to get attention and money.
sr
That one, I am not getting sucked into. The Maine winters are more
threating to me than 2012.
Now, I had a friend that worked in the high tech business, he validated
the worry. I haven't heard from him since, as I lost my computer.
I would love to hear his explanation, however. He was one of the
BRAINS in school. So I took it serously. I have since wised up.
I think
"Gary Heston" <ghe...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:UJ-dnRGP5t402kbX...@posted.hiwaay2...
Marsha
> Now, someone is claiming that an ancient Aztec calendar says the world will
> end in 2012; more nonsense to get attention and money.
>
> Gary
Won't you look silly when the world does end ;-)
Marsha
Gary Heston
sr <sol...@uninets.net> wrote:
>You wouldn't happen to be listening to that overnight show, would you?
You'd be referring to Coast to Coast AM with George Norri? Actually,
I catch about a half-hour of it before the local talk show comes on.
"No contact with reality" doesn't begin to describe most of the
guests on there. He brings in an occasional one that's for real,
though; a couple of weeks ago he had an author on who wrote a book
about the Antikythera Mechanism, a Roman-era device that has a lot
of scientists puzzled.
http://www.mondovista.com/firstcomputer.html
>That one, I am not getting sucked into. The Maine winters are more
>threating to me than 2012.
Crossing a street is more of a threat than 2012. I imagine the Aztecs
simply planned on recalculating the calendar every couple of thoursand
years, and someone wiped them out before they had the chance.
>Now, I had a friend that worked in the high tech business, he validated
>the worry. I haven't heard from him since, as I lost my computer.
>I would love to hear his explanation, however. He was one of the
>BRAINS in school. So I took it serously. I have since wised up.
>I think
There were quite a few things that needed work, but it got done.
Gary Heston
>Gary Heston wrote:
>> Now, someone is claiming that an ancient Aztec calendar says the world will
>> end in 2012; more nonsense to get attention and money.
>Won't you look silly when the world does end ;-)
Of course not; if the world ends, there won't be anyone to see.
sr
You mean to tell me that they could tell the end of the earth, down to the
year, but didn't know they were going to get wiped out?
---------
couldn't help myself.
----------
You know, I tried to stay awake http://www.mondovista.com/firstcomputer.html
couldn't. thanks, I'll ck that out. Antikythera Mechanism
The overnight show is my sleeping device, better than any sleeping pill on
the
market.
I just marvel how anyone can make their living, but they must, they keep
coming back.
I'm interested in the financials. Energy devices.history, if not totally
distorted. and than,
the fun of listening to the
Sales jobs from some of the other guests. It's the best entertainment
for free. Now, that's
frugal entertainment.
I wish I had listened to Art Bell when he started peddling gold, years ago.
I would be typing
from the Caribbeans
May I ask what talkshow station are you following? Sometimes I can pick
up Talk Shows on
AM at night. Mostly out of Boston area, and Canada. I sure hope these
Talking heads don't get regulated by
our Government. I suppose coast to coast am would survive, however.
"Gary Heston" <ghe...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:pqGdnUZXm--zW0bX...@posted.hiwaay2...
Gary Heston
sr <sol...@uninets.net> wrote:
> Gary Heston:"someone wiped them out before they had the chance."
>You mean to tell me that they could tell the end of the earth, down to the
>year, but didn't know they were going to get wiped out?
>---------
>couldn't help myself.
>----------
I think they just calculated until their stone was full, which happened
to be equivalent to 2012AD. After all, astronomical events are mostly
predictable (comets, meteors, and asteroid impacts being exceptions).
Getting invaded or struck by disease aren't.
>You know, I tried to stay awake http://www.mondovista.com/firstcomputer.html
>couldn't. thanks, I'll ck that out. Antikythera Mechanism
Yes, it's bandwidth-intensive. Animations usually are.
>The overnight show is my sleeping device, better than any sleeping pill on
>the
>market.
> I just marvel how anyone can make their living, but they must, they keep
>coming back.
> I'm interested in the financials. Energy devices.history, if not totally
>distorted. and than,
>the fun of listening to the
>Sales jobs from some of the other guests. It's the best entertainment
>for free. Now, that's
>frugal entertainment.
Yes; remember, though, that conspiracy theorists are suckers for buying
anything that remotely agrees with them. That keeps the advertisers in
business.
>I wish I had listened to Art Bell when he started peddling gold, years ago.
>I would be typing
>from the Caribbeans
You, me, and many others.
> May I ask what talkshow station are you following? Sometimes I can pick
>up Talk Shows on
>AM at night. Mostly out of Boston area, and Canada. I sure hope these
>Talking heads don't get regulated by
>our Government. I suppose coast to coast am would survive, however.
You can listen to them at:
http://www.wbhpam.com/main.html
when you're at the Cafe or library.
sr
Tried it out, cuts out every 2 words. I'll try tonight,
I'll check it out at the cafe.
Thanks for the FREE listening site
I remember when I first went online 1997 all were free.
I especially like the old time radio site. YUSA Bill Bragg
Since I have dial up and not much memory in this
computer, it's impossible to enjoy, today
==========
"Gary Heston" <ghe...@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:wtqdnXB7i97pe0bX...@posted.hiwaay2...